Fortnite gamers will soon be able to test their mettle in the hit game’s first solo tournament, sure to feature plenty of the intense, no-holds-barred gameplay the video game is known for.

Reportedly known as the Alpha Tournament, the upcoming Fortnite solo tournament will feature a new matchmaking system and be broadly similar to the popular Solo Showdown ranked playing mode implemented back in May.

Here’s all you need to know about Fortnite’s first solo tournament, including the start and end dates, rules, matchmaking system, prize and information about the video game itself.

Fortnite players will very soon be able to duke it out in the video game’s first solo tournament

Fortnite solo tournament start and end times

The tournament is slated to run from 7pm EST until 10pm EST on Tuesday, October 16 (5pm BST until 8pm BST for the UK tournament times) and ultimately conclude on Sunday, October 21.

Fortnite solo tournament rules

Scoring will work similar to what Epic Games uses for professional level play, mixing victory and elimination-based scoring to determine the final match standings.

Fortnite solo tournament matchmaking

For its first solo tournament, a new skill-based system will be implemented for Fortnite.

Eschewing the old matchmaking system which saw players matched up by which platform they use, the new system will see players matched up based on their performance in the tournament.

The new system is ultimately designed to make matches fairer and give less-skilled gamers a better shot at winning.

Fortnite solo tournament prize

For reaching 20 points, the reward will be a ‘shiny pin,’ likely a new category of items or banner.

As of yet, the exact details of the reward, including whether it will display on players’ in-game avatar, haven’t been revealed by Epic Games.

What is Fortnite?

Fortnite is a free-to-play action-shooter video game developed and published by Epic Games.

Boasting a player base of a staggering 125 million people worldwide, the game was first released in September 2017 with its popular battle royale mode being added shortly afterwards in September 2017.

Fortnite Battle Royale sees 100 players battled in intense, fast-paced matches that mix shooter gameplay with scavenging for gear and the ability to construct fortifications on the map.

The hit video game is currently available to play on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android.